Mr Keenan said he was "shocked and disgusted" to see chipped headstones, smashed ornaments, torn family cards and candle wax poured over graves at the cemetery, where anti-social behaviour has been an issue for some time.

Police at Woodbourne station are appealing for information in connection with the criminal damage which is understood to have taken place sometime between Tuesday, July 23, and the morning of Wednesday, July 24.

He added the audit of the graveyard was still not complete, so the figure of damaged graves could rise.

"I spoke to one family this morning who told me that it was their loved one's anniversary and they had visited the grave only to learn that it had been damaged," he said.

"They went on to say that they were absolutely devastated because a little ornament they had placed on the grave, highly sentimental, had been smashed and was irreplaceable."

Park warden and police patrols will be increased and beat officers will also be paying attention to the graveyard.